Majorca pt2

Majorca madness pt2

Monday morning, and we were up reasonably early for a return trip to s'estret in the hope of bagging the route we were denied by the greedy English and Spanish climbers. Parking up, we were the first car there, but once at the crag, were met by a few parties already there. Staking our place, we made a bee-line for the two slab lines of Mario Moreno 1 and 2.

Dave and Iain cracked Marion Moreno with no probs, so me and Ben tackled Mario Moreno 2, enjoying the easy and consistent slab climbing on large and friendly (but sometimes polished) flakes. We then swapped and completed the route next door. Of the two Mario Moreno is harder, with a few more technical moves off smaller and more polished holds, but both are equally nice climbs. By this time, the sun had burnt off all clouds and we were in for a scorcher, with temps reaching the high 20's.Ben showboating on mario moreno (F5)

Me pushing through the crux of Mario Morerno, awaiting the arrival of the sun!

We all moved up towards the harder section and set out sights on some of the harder routes. Dave and Iain lead the way with an all out assault on Movimento Sexy (F5+), which Iain made look easy. Ben flashed up it, with no problems, but i came off on the crux, unable to fathom the move through the crux. After some choice words, i pushed through it to the top and was lowered off in a rather less than amused state...

Dave and Iain moved up the scale, with an assault on Part Forana (F5+), a slightly more technical route.

Look guys, one hand!

Iain making it look easy...

After a leisurely lunch, we decided to head up to the higher section of crag called Sector Passion. We had our eye on the classic Passion interminable (f5 top 50), but like with everything in life, the Germans had beaten us to it, so we made our way round to find El Culo Lefthand (f5). After an initial hard pull over and overhang (which i bypassed), the route leads up an airy and bold slab to a belay 20m up, with great views down to the Islands capital, Palma. Zapped by the heat, we all had a bit of a drama getting up and over the first move, but Ben and Iain finally cracked it, and made their way up to the belay with no further probs.

Iain on the hanging slab above the overhang

We had had enough by that time, so i thought i had better show the guys some of the islands hidden beauties. I drove them through valdemossa, and onwards to port d'valdemossa, passing by the roadside crags just outside the town. These make for a real eye-opener, being right on the roadside, with care nescessary to avoid being clipped by a local car.

Valldemossa, perfect roadside cragging?

We continued on down the road to Port d'valldemossa, following the winding, and often very thin road down the hill through numerous hairpin bends and out towards the sea. After about 4km of continuously winding and exposed roads (and around a 500mm vertical drop) we emerged into the picturesque town and headed to the port. We hit it really lucky as the sun was at an amazing angle to the port, giving us a prime viewing point to watch it sink in to the med, casting amazing and awe-inspiring sunlight over the town and surrounding hillside.

Adam's angels?

Picturesque port d'valldemossa



Gagging for a beer...

The power of one man (and his imagination)

The end of a wonderful day

Back from the Island of Sun and Rock (and rain...)

Friday 10th October 2008 Majorca Trip 08

Well, we all got back into Dundee early this morning from our lads climbing trip to Majorca, and there are some cracking photos floating around, and certainly some cracking memories floating around my head, both of which i will do my best to give you a taste of over this (and perhaps one or two smaller additions to this post).

I'm not really sure where to start, but the holiday started with a whacky idea of a boys trip abroad for some hot rock, suggested on a rainy night at AVW, and Dave being one for adventure seemed interested straight away. Fast forward 3-4months later, numerous call offs, and unfortunate clashes of timetables, we had our line up. Dave P (the restraining force), Iain Irvine (the boy in the bubble), Ben Johnstone (The love machine) and me (the one who needed restraining from myself!)

Anyway, we (Dave, Iain and myself) made it to the airport and caught our flight to Palma with little trouble, but were not sure if Ben had made it (as he was on another flight, and needed transport to the airport), so it was with some reflief that we met him at the arrivals section.

Car hire sorted, we zoomed around the Palma ring road and off up in the hills, through Valdemossa and off to our Hotel on the North coast. Arriving well after 0100hrs, there was little sign of life, so we made a quick recce around the grounds (thank god they had no guard dogs!), and someone managed to phone the front desk, asking them to let us in. 30mins later, we were safely tucked up in our beds, snoozing away.
The view from our hotel balcony (and beer den)

Up early the next morning to bright sunshine and clear skies, we zoomed down to Valdemossa to get some grub, and stopped at the local market to get supplies. After haggling with the locals over melons and grapes, we thought it only right to treat ourselves to lunch before climbing. Straight off to the local crag at S'estret (2Km south of Valdemossa) after lunch, where i showed the guys the delights of Limestone bouldering. Having come from the relatively reasuring high friction of Sandstone, we all took our time to get confident on the sometime smooth and polished limestone, forcing us to focus on good footwork and technique.

All of us messing about on a rather hard boulder problem.

After a good few problems, we decided we wanted some real climbing, so crossed the road and walked to the easy sections. Starting easy, we cracked Pipe 1, 2 and 3 (f4, f5, f4+), then moved to do the lovely Zarza mora (f4+) which combines a lovely slab climb, with a powerful but easy overhanging top section. Lunch was called for, so we cracked open the melons and baggeutes. Bliss!!!

A large group of Englanders were hogging some of the popular routes, so we moved uphill and found the best section of climbing on that side of the road. Even busier (and cosmopolitan) than the other sector, we squeezed in on the easier free routes, and bagged another 3 decent climbs. Las Cagao (f5 **) was my favourite, with lovely climbing up an immaculate crack line, with wonderful flakes for hands all the way up. Next Door, End Slab 1 and 2 (Both F5) were a bit bolder, and thinner than Las Cagao, but provided an interesting challenge none the less.

Iain pumping his way up Quarried wall (f5+)

Dave climbing like a bat (in the dark!)

With the day drawing on, we decided one more route was in order, so moved back down hill to do the overhanging and pumpy route known as Quarried wall (f5+). Iain and Dave made easy progress to the last clip before coming off because of the pumpy and compressed nature of the route. I made it up clean, but have done it on top rope previously. Ben tried the route, and made it up halfway before suffering from a lack of climbing over the last few months, and was unable to make it up clean. Despite this he 'manned up' (his term, not mine...) and finished it as dusk set in. All that was left was a moonlit walk back to the car after an amazing first day on the Island.

MORE TO COME TOMORROW...